


Letters From the Grave

by Lady_Jane666



Series: "My Brother's Keeper" - A One Shot Collection [2]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (Comics), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Drama, Grief/Mourning, Post S8E10, Rick and Michonne read Carl's letter to you, Rick is kinda a dick in this, Sweet Negan (Walking Dead), death of a sibling, lots of anger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-03-30 20:33:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13959462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Jane666/pseuds/Lady_Jane666
Summary: Negan/Rick's Daughter Reader ONESHOT (maybe....depends on response)I wanted to write a little something about what I think it could have been like if Rick had a daughter, that gave herself to Negan to save her family, and Negan has to tell her that her brother is gone and that he wrote his sister (you a letter).Triggers: Death of a close family member.WARNING: This turned out to be far more emotional than even I expected, I was crying at different points while writing this in fact. So please, one have tissues handy… two don’t read if you are not prepared to have serious sad feels about Carl’s death.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay… not my normal FavWife Reader fair I know but I thought this would make for a good one-shot. I am huge fan of Rick’s daughter/Negan FF personally but never really have gotten around to playing pairing myself. I have been working so hard on my long form story The Chosen Wife, that I needed write something with some different character dynamics for a hot second. I hope you enjoy it, even though it was a tough piece to write… I really enjoyed writing it… even with the crying. <.<
> 
> *originally posted to my Imagines/Headcannon/Oneshots Tumblr - Darkly-Dreaming-Imagines

Not everyone was happy when you chose to marry Negan to save your father Rick and your younger brother Carl when all this started. You had no choice. Glen and Abraham were dead. Negan was going to kill your family, leaving you alone to take care of Judith. You couldn’t let that happen. So you did the only thing you thought you could, offer yourself to Negan. At first the idea was horrifying but you did it because _I promised mom to keep Dad and Carl safe_ you reminded yourself nearly constantly during the early days.

Negan was not a good man, by any means, but he never was cruel or harsh with you. He was kind, gentle even. As weeks passed you found yourself being less horrified by him. What changed your view of Negan the most was when he didn’t hurt Carl after he came in gun blazing trying to rescue you. _My sweet, protective baby brother_. When Negan called you into his bedroom that day, you thought it was to watch him kill your brother but instead he told you give your brother a hug. Negan even let you go back to Alexandria with him to take Carl home. You got to hold Judith and even see your father for a brief moment before Dwight took you back to the truck. It was the kindest thing you could have ever imagined Negan doing.

Since then you did not mind as much when Negan wanted to spend the night with you. You didn’t flinch at his touch and there were moments where you thought perhaps there was some real connection forming. It was wrong you knew, but your mother Lori had always told you to make the best out of a bad situation. _Particularly when I asked her why she was with Shane_. It was far from a normal marriage but there were there were more moments that you had found yourself almost enjoying his company the last few days.

Negan kept you close since your father attacked the Sanctuary, he claimed it was because he was worried the men could take their anger for your father out on you but something told you that it was more likely he didn’t trust you not to try and escape. The thought had crossed your mind but you were so afraid of what would happen to Carl or Judith if you did. Your father could handle himself and when he refused to listen to your pleas to not attack the Sanctuary, you felt like he just didn’t care that you (his only daughter…really) were inside and could be hurt, you just stopped caring as much as you once had about what happened to him, but your brother and sister were a different story.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly through your slightly dingy bedroom windows. It was summer, once your favorite time of year, now you just longed for the days of air conditioning and water parks as you lay stretched out on your small bed. There is a knock on your door. “Come in.” You call as you sit up. Simon, the one you really can’t stand, opens the door.

“Negan wants to speak with you,” You knew not to question why at this point, you just give a quick nod and slip on your black patent leather high heels and follow Simon to Negan’s rooms.

Simon opens the door letting you walk through, but does not follow. You see Negan sitting on the black leather couch, his hands covering his face as you walk in. He looks upset, _What did my dad do now?_ Was the only thought that was racing through your mind. You clear your throat to let him know you were there. Negan’s hands fall away from his face as he stands up. “(y/n) come here darlin’, we gotta talk…” His tone was unlike any that you had heard from him before and it was unnerving. He reached out his large hand and took yours, guiding you to sit down next him.

“Negan… what’s going on?” You were scared, it was plain as day on your face.

Negan hushed you and put his hand on your bare knee. “I gotta tell you something, it’s gonna fucking hurt… really fucking hurt…” His voice was almost shaking as he spoke. _He is upset, I have never seen Negan like this_ , “(y/n), you gotta believe me before I tell you, I had no part in this… the Saviors had no part in what happened…”

“What happened!” you scream unable to stop yourself from letting fear and anxiety consume you.

“Your brother is dead sweetheart…” As the words escape his lips you let a wail as the pain and sorrow consumes you. The tears start to flow like two waterfalls of anguish down your cheeks. You whole body shakes as you try to process the unimaginable. Negan leaps forward wrapping his arms tightly around you as sob uncontrollably and scream your brother’s name. You knew the whole Sanctuary could hear the echoes of your deeply personal pain. “I’m so fucking sorry sweetheart, I really am. I didn’t want this for him you know that right? I wanted to bring him and Judith here… so we could keep them safe.”

His words meant little to you in that moment. All that you could think about was that Carl was gone and you never got to say goodbye. “My baby brother… my Carl…” You finally utter somewhat clearly as you try to gain some composure. Negan’s large hands move to your face wiping the black stained tears from your cheeks. “What…happened… did he turn?” your voice shakes uncontrollably as you try to ask your question.

Weather Negan knew the truth or not you didn’t know but he quickly said “No, no baby he didn’t.” Part of you wondered if he was just saying it to try and calm you or calm himself. He looked quite shaken by all this. “Your dad called..” He said reaching over and picking up the radio off the table. “Carl was bit, he was trying to help some dumb fuck or some stupid fucking thing…got himself fucking bit…”

“No, no, no… Carl would never be so stupid!” You exclaim wailing once more. “Where was dad? Why was he out there… by himself?!” You scream so full of overwhelming sadness and rage bubbling just below.

Negan took a deep breath and cupped your cheek. “Because your fucking shithead father is too busy waging a goddamn war…” His voice seethed with rage and for the first time you could relate to that rage towards your father.

All you could think about was all the people that you had lost. “Shane..Mom.. Sophia…little Sophia…Hershel…Beth…Glen…Carl… my baby bother… my bubby..” You mutter softly, the names of the people that you considered family that you had now lost because of the decisions your father had made. “My dad…killed everyone I loved…” you pause for a moment. “Well Carl killed mom… but I couldn’t… I’m…I was…” you begin to sob once more remember your brother is really gone. “6 years older than him ya know but he was braver than me… stronger than me… I was supposed to protect him Negan…” You begin to ramble and Negan quickly jumps in to try and stop you from spiraling down to a dark, dark place.

“No, your father was supposed to protect you both, and he didn’t. He couldn’t. You see that now sweetheart, right?” Negan wraps his arms around you once more as you nod meekly. “Haven’t I kept you safe since you came with me?” You nod once more, he had. Even when some of the men wanted to try and make an example out of your in the early days Negan would not have it. “You are my wife, from the moment you asked me to spare your dumbshit father and your little brother, you were mine … and a husband protects his wife… just like a father is supposed to protect his children.” Negan leaned down and kissed your forehead, pushing a few strands of hair, damp from your tears, off your cheek before kissing it. “I wish we could have brought your brother here, I know together we could have kept Carl safe. He would have become my right hand man.” Negan’s voice was somber thinking about the life that could have been, he thought more often than he cared to admit about having some strange future with you raising Judith together after seeing you with her in Alexandria.

Taking a long deep breath Negan continued, “When your father called, he asked me not to tell you… that he wanted me to let you go back home, tell you face to face but I told old Rick that with Carl dying on his watch from a goddamn walker bite no less, I can’t let my brand new wife just go waltzing back home…what kind of husband I would I be?” You shake your head just wishing he would get to whatever point he was trying to make. “Well, your father said he had something from Carl, for you..” Negan paused as you looked up at him wide eyed,   “He wrote you a letter…fuck he wrote me one too…” Your eyes got wide at the idea that your brother had left you something, some piece of him to hold on to before he left.

“I want the fucking letter now…” You demand and Negan almost cracked a smile as he reached over and picked up the walkie and handed it to you.

“Your dad has them..” Negan said simply.

You hand reaches quickly for the walkie as you jump up and turn away, “Dad… Dad… are you there…DAD!” you scream into the walkie. There is static then you hear your father’s voice crackle through the radio.

“(y/n)?” Your father asks softly. “Is it really you?”

The tears come back stronger than ever as you hear the emotion in your father’s voice. “Yes…” You say weakly. “My bubby…” You cry softly , you can feel Negan walk up behind you and place his hands on your shoulders trying to comfort you.

“I know my sweet girl, I know. He was so brave, he saved your sister from the bombs your fucking husband launched at our home…” Your head snaps around and looks at Negan who shrugs and mouths ‘sorry’ but you shake your head as your father continues. “Carl was bit before all that, he knew he was going to die probably for a day…maybe two…He wrote you a letter… I haven’t read it, I promise (y/n)”

“Read it to me… please… dad.”

“Hold on, Michonne has them…” The radio went silent for a moment before your father’s voice returned. “I got it…” You take a deep breath as he begin to read. “To the best big sister I could have asked for,” Your father’s voices shake as he reads Carl’s words. “I think mom would be proud of you.” He pauses again likely reading ahead. You can hear him take a deep breath. “You tried to stop this war before it started by going with Negan, I see that now. I’m sorry I was mad at you for protecting us, I shouldn’t have been mad. I should have been grateful.” You sob steadily as you father speaks, though you could swear you heard your brother’s voice. “Please try to help Dad and Negan come to some peace. You remind me more and more of mom the older you get..” You father pauses as the letter speaks of your late mother, there were moments that you did see a lot of her in yourself, it was never something you expected Carl to notice. “ and I think if mom were still alive that’s what she would be trying to do.” You could hear the crumble of paper and heavy sigh escape your father’s lips. “I can’t read the rest of this…”

“I have to know dad… please..” You cry.

Michonne’s voice chirps in over the radio. “Okay… I will finish reading the letter...” Michonne said softly, you could tell she had been crying hard from the hoarseness in her voice. “You have to be the voice of reason in this (y/n),” Michonne continued your brother’s letter. “I told dad about what I saw this would becoming if we could just make peace… it’s beautiful and you are there, and happy again living back home in Alexandria, you have a baby of your own… that life you used to tell me about when we would stay up on watch together, you can have it if you can make them make peace.” You could hear Michonne take a deep breath and you leaned back against Negan actually finding a strange comfort in the fact that he hadn’t left your side since he told you. “In this dream I have I see you still with Negan, which surprised even me. I actually think Negan cares about you, I know dad will probably read this and be pissed off that I think this but it’s true. I saw the way he looks at you when I was at the Sanctuary, it’s the way dad used to look at mom… maybe you see it too but if you don’t look closer. “ You could tell that even Michonne was having a hard time reading those words and you knew instantly that your father could have never read them out loud. Michonne let a heavy breath and you could hear a truck door slam and your father curse from outside the vehicle as she continued, “He didn’t have to let you come home with me that day, he didn’t have to let you spend time with Judith and me. I am not too worried if you stay with him, dad is but I am not.” You glance back at Negan for a moment who nods agreeing with Carl’s words as he wraps his arms tightly around you. “It’s like what you were telling me about why you left with Negan, about how during war sometimes to end it, one king would marry his daughter to another King he was at war with, so now they were family. Families shouldn’t fight each other. I think Dad and Negan need to see that and while I think the puts a lot on your shoulders, you can handle it… you are tougher than you realize. Because like it or not…we are kind of family now.” Michonne took a deep breath and you could hear her voice shake as she finished the letter. “Don’t worry about Judith too much, Michonne and Dad will take good care of her. I want you to have a good life, even if it is with Negan. Don’t feel bad if it is with him…I think you like him too but you don’t want to admit it because everyone will hate you, and they may but you deserve happiness (y/n) even if you really don’t think you do.  I love you so much, I am sorry we couldn’t say goodbye but we have said goodbye enough times I know what you would have said. It would have been beautiful, just like my big sister. I’m gonna be with mom again, I will tell her you love her and miss her… promise. Your bubby…”

As Michonne finished you turned around and buried your face in Negan’s chest and sobbed hard. The radio went silent in your hands. Negan didn’t say anything, just held you and let you sob so hard your head was pounding with in just a few moments. His hand slipped down between your bodies and pulled the walkie from your tight grip. “Do you want to talk now Rick? Or are you just going to say the same you did earlier… this time so (y/n) can hear, because she is right here… in my arms…” Negan’s voice was seething and you could imagine the look on your father’s face.

“I’m still gonna kill you..” You father growled. “It doesn’t matter… none of this matters now.”

You look up at Negan who is just shaking his head as you try to stop crying for a moment. You reach out for the walkie, “Please..” You say weakly and Negan sighs at first not wanting to give in but as you plea for a second time. “Negan… please” he hands you the walkie.

“Dad, listen…” You start shakily, “What Carl said is true… We are family now.” You look up at Negan for a moment, “More so even than either you or Negan know…” When Carl’s letter mentioned a baby your heart had skipped a beat, while things had been to hectic to actually confirm with the new Doc, you were fairly certain that you were pregnant. You hadn’t wanted to tell anyone, no one needs a baby during the middle of a war but Carl’s letter made you realize that was what they both needed to hear.

Negan looked wide eyed, mouth hanging open a little at you as he put together what you had just said. “You’re not?” You shrug and give a little nod. “Well shit…fucking hell of a time to find out…”

“Dad… you know what I am trying to say right?” There is so much fear in your voice as you spoke and all you could think of was what Carl had asked of you. _Make Peace…make them see_ his voice rang out in your mind. You knew it would never leave, he was now the voice of your conscious.

“His… no… no…” Your father stammered. “I will not have that man be a part of this family… No.” Your face dropped at your father yelled.

“Daddy…This is what Carl was talking about though,” You start.

“Don’t you dare… your brother is dead and you fucking tell me that you are having that fucking monsters child….I have no daughter. My children are dead.” Your father’s words cut to your core, your battered and bruised heart just had the final death blow by your father’s careless words that in your soul your knew he would live to regret. The radio slips from your hands and comes crashing to the floor. You just stand frozen, your heart pounding as your tears, stained by your black mascara, roll down your cheeks as your mouth hangs open like you meant to scream but no sound escapes your lips.

Negan to your surprise missed an opportunity to taunt your father as he ignored Rick’s curses from the radio and wrapped his arms tightly around your shaking frame. “Hey… don’t listen to him..” He said kicking the radio away trying to shield you in some strange way from your father’s grief fueled rage. “(y/n), my sweet girl…” He started, his voice was eerily calm as he continued. “Fuck him… he doesn’t deserve you, he didn’t protect Carl… you did everything you could… Married me right the fuck after I killed your friends… you have been one hell of a wife, fucking hell darlin’ you are even giving me my first born child… all to try and keep your family safe.” Part of you wondered for a moment if he was sincere as he spoke, but then you gaze up at his face and see that there was no hiding his genuine emotions behind his words.

Your mind was racing a thousand miles a minute, but the only thing that was shining through the dark chaos of your mind like a neon light was your baby sister, Judith. “My baby..” You said softly and at those words, having just learned you were carrying his child, one of Negan’s hands moved to your stomach unconsciously.

“What?” Negan asked nervously, a very real tone of fear in his voice.

“Judith…” You answer and Negan lets out a heavy sigh of relief for a moment before you continue. “We have to get her… Rick isn’t her father…” Negan’s face twisted into a questioning glare at this little known piece of information. “It’s a long story, but my mom was screwing my dad’s partner Shane and she was defiantly pregnant before dad came back… so I am the only family she has left Negan…” You pause for a moment and franticly search for some phrase that you could say that  could spur him to do something not only fueled by rage and grief, but incredibly risky and would undoubtedly not bring peace but you knew all this was beyond peace now. “We… you, me, our baby… are her only family now. Not my dad.. not them.” You watch as your words sink in and an smile spreads across his face as he realizes that you are finally, really and truly on his side now.

“Well then, we need to go get that little angel and bring her back here.” He started nothing with his normal bravado much to your surprise. He took your hand and led you back to the sofa. “You however… need to stay your fine ass here…” Even though you were still emotionally shaken you raise a questioning eyebrow. “Did you think you were gonna be like the Widow…”

“Maggie…” You correct quickly reminding in some way these people were your friends and family. Negan obviously didn’t care when he rolled his eyes at the mention of her name.

“Whatever, I don’t fucking care what her name is… you are not fucking going guns blazing into a goddamn war while you got my kid cooking in the fucking toaster there. Oh fuck to the goddamn no baby girl.” He was almost yelling as he paced between the two couches and the windows. “You are staying here…right fucking here in fact…” He said pointing at you as he turned to the door. “SIMON!” He yelled.

Quickly the door flung open and suddenly you felt incredibly embarrassed that Simon likely overheard everything that had just transpired. “Yes Boss…” He said in all too cheery of tone for your liking in that moment.

“Go get (y/n)’s shit from her room… bring it here,” Simon shot Negan a questioning glance and started to open his mouth. “Did I say ask questions then go do what I told you to do.” Simon having been sharply put in his place just nodded quickly.

“Right away…” He said as he slithered out of the room like the snake he was.

Negan turned back to you and joined you on the couch. His arm drapes over your shoulder, “Why do you want me here?” You ask meekly, “My dad doesn’t care about me…I don’t matter.” He quickly hushed you and cupped your cheek with his larger, rough hand.

“Oh you matter, you matter a fuck ton more to me now… That’s for damn sure.” His tone was the kind, new tone that was far more comforting than you expected it would have been. You leaned into his touch, for this first time you could recall finding some small piece of you being grateful for the man not long ago you despised. What Negan said next shocked you, “Rick does care about you, you do matter to him (y/n). He might not see it now, but one day… perhaps on his last on this fucking earth… he will see it.” Negan leaned in and placed a tender kiss on your forehead. “I am going to talk to the boys about how the hell we are gonna get your baby sister, but I promise you my beautiful bride… I will make sure she ends up safely in your arms.”

You smile softly as Negan stands up, you hand out stretched towards him. “Thank you…” Negan shakes his head and scoffs at your words. “Really, you don’t have to do any of this.”

Negan stops and turns around,. “You’re my wife… I do…” He brought you hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on your fingertips. “Rest (y/n)…I’ll be back before you know it..”


	2. NOTE ON SERIES!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a note... not a chapter... really.

Hey my lovely Readers!

I wanted to let you know that this one shot has now grown into a one shot series. I am not really writing this in any particular order. But I am expanding on the back story and the future of the Reader character I created and Negan's relationship.

Please check out the new work in this series called "Whatever He Wants" which you can find by going to the series page.

I appreciate all the kudos, comments and bookmarks on all my works but this one really surprised me with how well it was received! I hope you all enjoy the rest of the series.

xoxox

Jane.


End file.
